Amateur / Pro clubs relationships

[Viking Ste]

What are other peoples experiences, who are involved in the amateur game, with your local Professional team?  My experience with the Widnes club is very poor.  We are the largest amateur club in Widnes and we have next to no contact from the Pro club.  I would assume that we would be the prime market for them to tap into with over 300+ kids registered but not a peep from them.

 

For example, do Hunslet RLFC work with Hunslet ARLFC? Rochdale Hornets with Rochdale Mayfield? Cas Tigers with Lock Lane?

[Northern Eel]

9 minutes ago, Viking Ste said:

What are other peoples experiences, who are involved in the amateur game, with your local Professional team?  My experience with the Widnes club is very poor.  We are the largest amateur club in Widnes and we have next to no contact from the Pro club.  I would assume that we would be the prime market for them to tap into with over 300+ kids registered but not a peep from them.

 

For example, do Hunslet RLFC work with Hunslet ARLFC? Rochdale Hornets with Rochdale Mayfield? Cas Tigers with Lock Lane?

Wakefield in West Yorkshire look after Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire and Immingham in Lincolnshire very well.

[Eddie]

15 minutes ago, Viking Ste said:

What are other peoples experiences, who are involved in the amateur game, with your local Professional team?  My experience with the Widnes club is very poor.  We are the largest amateur club in Widnes and we have next to no contact from the Pro club.  I would assume that we would be the prime market for them to tap into with over 300+ kids registered but not a peep from them.

 

For example, do Hunslet RLFC work with Hunslet ARLFC? Rochdale Hornets with Rochdale Mayfield? Cas Tigers with Lock Lane?

Have your club reached out to Widnes to try to forge a relationship? 

[Spidey]

27 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Have your club reached out to Widnes to try to forge a relationship? 

It’s absolutely on Widnes to do that, It’s poor they have little contact with clubs in the area 

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Spidey said:

It’s absolutely on Widnes to do that, It’s poor they have little contact with clubs in the area 

Yeah it's in their own interest.  To me it's a no brainer that professional clubs forge close links with amateur clubs as they should be a great source of players and fans.

[Viking Ste]

53 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Have your club reached out to Widnes to try to forge a relationship? 

Several times to the point it has become fruitless. We receive more interaction from St.Helens and Warrington

[LittleboroRoughyed]

This was pretty much the first thing the new owners of Oldham did (led by Mike Ford) was re-establish links with the local community clubs and re-establish the junior Oldham town teams & have been running coaching clinics.

Edited October 11, 2023 by LittleboroRoughyed

[17 stone giant]

3 hours ago, Damien said:

Yeah it's in their own interest.  To me it's a no brainer that professional clubs forge close links with amateur clubs as they should be a great source of players and fans.

I would have thought so too. I'd be interested to hear suggestions as to why Widnes aren't doing that.

[Simon Hall]

York have got a close relationship with Heworth and New Earswick All Blacks. Don’t seem to do much with Acorn for some reason. 

[glossop saint]

Without meaning to take it off topic this should be a big part of the IMG grading. At least as important as social media or director box seating. Great to hear that Wakey are doing their bit with some clubs further afield.

[Eddie]

8 hours ago, Spidey said:

It’s absolutely on Widnes to do that, It’s poor they have little contact with clubs in the area 

Agreed, but if they’re not doing it there’s no harm in reaching out to them rather than waiting for them to come to you. 

[gingerjon]

10 hours ago, Viking Ste said:

What are other peoples experiences, who are involved in the amateur game, with your local Professional team?  My experience with the Widnes club is very poor.  We are the largest amateur club in Widnes and we have next to no contact from the Pro club.  I would assume that we would be the prime market for them to tap into with over 300+ kids registered but not a peep from them.

 

For example, do Hunslet RLFC work with Hunslet ARLFC? Rochdale Hornets with Rochdale Mayfield? Cas Tigers with Lock Lane?

Which club are you talking about?

[The Blues Ox]

Fax have a pretty poor relationship with Siddal which is a shame as they have likely produced more top level SL players than a lot of other amateur clubs. This dates back to the time Fax were in SL and poor relations back then and since the drop out of SL Siddal now have better relationships with Huddersfield and Wigan.

[Gomersall]

I can’t understand this apathy from some pro clubs to what is essentially a local production line on their doorstep. I know Donny regularly have interaction with the local community clubs.

[Spidey]

11 hours ago, Damien said:

Yeah it's in their own interest.  To me it's a no brainer that professional clubs forge close links with amateur clubs as they should be a great source of players and fans.

They’ll be scratching their heads next year when season ticket sales plummet. This is basic stuff for a so called professional club

[Damien]

31 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Fax have a pretty poor relationship with Siddal which is a shame as they have likely produced more top level SL players than a lot of other amateur clubs. This dates back to the time Fax were in SL and poor relations back then and since the drop out of SL Siddal now have better relationships with Huddersfield and Wigan.

I know someone at Wigan who speaks very highly of Siddal and thinks that they are a great club. In particular that they are a great breeding ground for players because they receive really good coaching. Obviously Wigan have signed a few players from there like Morgan Smithies.

[Tommygilf]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

I know someone at Wigan who speaks very highly of Siddal and thinks that they are a great club. In particular that they are a great breeding ground for players because they receive really good coaching. Obviously Wigan have signed a few players from there like Morgan Smithies.

A lot of young lads move to Siddal from around u14s from other clubs too.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Does anyone know if Leigh or Wigan link up with Westhaughton Lions on the fringe of north Bolton?

They have successfully got funding for a facility (a story in itself) and support junior and senior RL teams.

They’re very active on Twitter/X (or Twix as I call it) and help promote/cross-promote themselves, Wigan, Leigh and also Swinton Lionesses.

There’s also Bolton RLFC that I believe play on the other side of town with Bolton RUFC.

Famous actor Robert Shaw (Jaws, Battle of Britain etc) was from Westhaughton originally.

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Famous actor Robert Shaw (Jaws, Battle of Britain etc) was from Westhaughton originally.

As is the name of the towns Witherspoon's.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, Harry Stottle said:

As is the name of the towns Witherspoon's.

That’s right.

[Damien]

45 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Does anyone know if Leigh or Wigan link up with Westhaughton Lions on the fringe of north Bolton?

They have successfully got funding for a facility (a story in itself) and support junior and senior RL teams.

They’re very active on Twitter/X (or Twix as I call it) and help promote/cross-promote themselves, Wigan, Leigh and also Swinton Lionesses.

There’s also Bolton RLFC that I believe play on the other side of town with Bolton RUFC.

Famous actor Robert Shaw (Jaws, Battle of Britain etc) was from Westhaughton originally.

 

Westhaughton is more like West Bolton and is a little funny though in that although its Bolton it is very close to Wigan and Leigh. Westhaughtan Lions for instance would only be about 2 miles from Hindley ARLFC with St Pats and Rose Bridge probably about 4 miles away. Leigh East and Miners probably a touch more.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Damien

[del capo]

32 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Does anyone know if Leigh or Wigan link up with Westhaughton Lions on the fringe of north Bolton?

They have successfully got funding for a facility (a story in itself) and support junior and senior RL teams.

They’re very active on Twitter/X (or Twix as I call it) and help promote/cross-promote themselves, Wigan, Leigh and also Swinton Lionesses.

There’s also Bolton RLFC that I believe play on the other side of town with Bolton RUFC.

Famous actor Robert Shaw (Jaws, Battle of Britain etc) was from Westhaughton originally.

 

Wigan Warriors have perhaps the largest active network within the Community Game.

Their Club Ambassador programme now involves 20+ clubs  ( probably more than 6000 players ) and is a big part of their Foundation activities. Westhoughton Lions are members and have received help and advice. After all they are only  a couple of miles from Hindley ARLFC ( also members ) !

The network is nevertheless extensive running through Lancashire into Cumbria. Perhaps Viking should approach them - after all his club Halton Farnworth (? ) is where they got Harry Smith from...

This side of the hills Warrington who have squad players actually linked to local clubs and St Helens are  also both heavily involved within the local community set ups. 

The top clubs a while ago realised where their bread is buttered. There is no alternative. Some might say it's going the Australian way but it is undoubtedly the future.

 

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

14 hours ago, Viking Ste said:

What are other peoples experiences, who are involved in the amateur game, with your local Professional team?  My experience with the Widnes club is very poor.  We are the largest amateur club in Widnes and we have next to no contact from the Pro club.  I would assume that we would be the prime market for them to tap into with over 300+ kids registered but not a peep from them.

 

For example, do Hunslet RLFC work with Hunslet ARLFC? Rochdale Hornets with Rochdale Mayfield? Cas Tigers with Lock Lane?

Is this HFH Ste?

Is it probable that without an academy they've nowhere for young players to play?

From what I've heard on TV St Helens seem to do quite a lot of fishing in that pond. 

How do Widnes keep St Helens mitts off them all things considered.

[Barley Mow]

10 minutes ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Is this HFH Ste?

Is it probable that without an academy they've nowhere for young players to play?

From what I've heard on TV St Helens seem to do quite a lot of fishing in that pond. 

How do Widnes keep St Helens mitts off them all things considered.

Pro- clubs with no elite academy are pretty unlikely to form links with the amateur clubs to bring player through to play for them.

But what they can do is build a good relationship to try to find their fans of the future. Only a small percentage of junior players continue to play into adulthood, and a smaller group still will play professionally, but such pro-clubs might stand a better chance of getting the juniors to attend matches as spectators (for another 70 years) if they are encouraged when young via link ups between the clubs.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Westhaughton is more like West Bolton and is a little funny though in that although its Bolton it is very close to Wigan and Leigh. Westhaughtan Lions for instance would only be about 2 miles from Hindley ARLFC with St Pats and Rose Bridge probably about 4 miles away. Leigh East and Miners probably a touch more.

Can we settle on north west?  Haha (embarrassed Boltonian)